Salisbury, Coming Back From Injury, Is Both Anxious and Able

It was a traumatic opening game for USC quarterback Sean Salisbury, whose college career has been marred by knee surgery.

He was redshirted in 1984 after being injured against Arizona State in the second game. He missed part of the 1982 season with his first knee injury.

Although Salisbury is USC’s most experienced quarterback, Coach Ted Tollner said he had to win the job in summer practice from Kevin McLean and Rodney Peete.

Asked if he felt any anxiety before Saturday’s opening game with Illinois, Salisbury said: “Sure, I was anxious. I hadn’t played in a while, and there are people probably wondering whether I could do the job. But I think I had the best week in practice that I ever had.”

Salisbury was an efficient quarterback against Illinois as USC won, 20-10. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 164 yards, didn’t throw an interception and teamed with flanker Randy Tanner on a 46-yard scoring pass play.

He limped off the field a couple of times, but his right knee, the one that is scarred by surgery, apparently didn’t cause him any pain. He said he had leg cramps in the 90-degree heat as did many of his teammates.

“I think Sean had an excellent performance and he made some good decisions,” said Tollner.

Salisbury was sacked five times, mainly while trying to roll out to pass. But he had only one serious lapse, fumbling the ball to Illinois when USC had a first down on the Illini 17-yard line late in the third quarter.

Salisbury said that he is not disturbed that his name hasn’t been mentioned for any pre-season All-American honors.

“I’m more hungry this year but I’m not worried about whether I pass for 3,000 yards, or any statistics,” he said. “The important thing is that the team keeps on winning.”

Salisbury was bathed in sweat in the sauna-like USC locker room. He still wears a knee brace on his right knee that he calls his security blanket.

He is not regarded as a particularly mobile quarterback, but he was efficient Saturday and that’s all that Tollner requires of his veteran quarterback.

There has been speculation in the Midwest that Illinois Coach Mike White had his best team, one that would not only win the Big Ten championship but contend for national honors.

So White was disappointed Saturday when his team got off to a faltering start against USC.

“Someone once told me that when you want to do your best, sometimes you do your worst,” he said. “We did not do a good job, especially on offense. It was a very sub-par offensive performance.

“We’ve been doing a lot of talking, now we have to go back to work. We just didn’t do well and there’s no reason for it.”

USC could be a reason. White hasn’t fared too well against Pac-10 teams lately, losing to UCLA, 45-9, in the 1984 Rose Bowl and to Stanford, 34-19, last season. Now USC has frustrated him.

“I think USC’s defensive line dominated our offensive line,” said White, the former California coach. “In passing situations they put some pressure on Jack Trudeau and gave him the jitters. They brought us back to reality.

“USC is strong in every position. It’s a tremendously solid football program. They have a lot of confidence and expect to win.”

USC tailback Fred Crutcher hasn’t been able to scrimmage because of a sore shoulder. There was some concern as to how long he would be able to play considering the oppressive heat in the Midwest.

But Crutcher did just fine. He gained 83 yards and averaged 4.3 yards in 19 carries.

“Today’s game was my scrimmage,” he said, smiling.

USC apparently has an effective 1-2 tailback tandem in Crutcher and sophomore Ryan Knight, who gained 89 yards with a 3.7 average.

USC offensive guard Tom Hallock on why USC’s running game was so effective: “The fact we were able to pass helps the running game. Also, their linemen couldn’t see over our offensive line at times and they didn’t know where the ball was.”

Throwing four interceptions was bad enough for Trudeau, but hearing some of the 76,369 hometown fans boo made the day even worse.

“I didn’t think Illinois fans were like that,” said Trudeau. “But, I guess I was wrong. I guess that’s the way fans, some fans, handle situations like that.”

Still, he said he could not remember playing a worse game.

“I don’t feel that happy with the way I played,” said Trudeau. “I’ve never had more interceptions before. I would say it probably hurt more than any other game. The turnovers just killed us.”

Trudeau completed 21 passes in 37 attempts for 310 yards and one touchdown. But both Trudeau and White acknowledged the highly touted offense never got on track in a game the players and coaches wanted desperately to win.

One bright spot in the Illinois attack was a spectacular 83-yard catch and run by tight end Cap Boso, who fought off a trio of Trojan defenders to score Illinois’ only touchdown in the third quarter.

“I don’t really know what I thought,” said Boso. “I just didn’t want them to get me. I just wanted to get in that end zone.”

Despite the defeat, Illinois players were upbeat about their prospects for the 1985 season. Trudeau recalled losing the opening game in 1983 before winning 10 straight to take the Big Ten championship and go to the Rose Bowl.